Fiestas del Pino is perhaps the most important religious festival in The Canary Islands, celebrating Our Lady of The Pines, who is said to have revealed herself to some 16th century woodsmen and a priest, between two giant pine trees at place called Teror, where cool waters flowed from the mountains, and became known for their restorative properties. Once the clergyman had reported the apparition to the Bishop, who then wrote to the Vatican, it was decided to bless this holy place with a church in her name, as luck would have it, sufficiently far enough away from marauding pirates as to be quite useful for storing gold and other treasures. This year will be a much more sombre affair than usual with offerings and a very small gathering, limited by pandemic response rules. Teror still produces some of the most delicious mountain spring water in the world. Perfect for coping with a Gran Canaria heatwave.
The first September heatwave on Gran Canaria began this Monday and is expected to last until at least next Wednesday with high temperatures in the shade expected reach upwards of 32ºC. Tuesday’s regional celebration of the Fiesta del Pino could see temperatures, in direct sunlight, going as high as 40ºC+ in various municipalities around the Island, through Wednesday and until Thursday when things are expected to cool off a little.
The Canary Islands Ministry of Health declared an orange advisory warning over the weekend, due to health risks associated with the heat, expected in multiple municipalities including Agaete, Agüimes, La Aldea de San Nicolás, Ingenio, Mogán, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, and Tejeda until Wednesday. The municipalities of Artenara, Santa Brígida, Telde, and Vega de San Mateo have a yellow advisory for Tuesday.
Tuesday’s heatwave on Gran Canaria will begin a little cloudy in places, clear elsewhere with some intervals of high cloud. Slight Calima at altitude, tending to give way in the afternoon travelling from east to west. Temperatures will climb slightly, more noticeably at the summits. Maximum temperatures will exceed 30ºC in inland areas, reaching 34-36ºC, in the shade, in the central south. Moderate northeast winds with strong intervals, light breezes along the southern and south west coasts.
Wednesday in most places starts with light cloud or clear skies. Temperatures will decrease a little, with maximums in the shade still topping 30ºC across large areas of the archipelago. Moderate northeast winds with strong intervals.
